Let Me Be the First to Say
by mavjade
Summary: Crack!ship, Ianto/Martha, brief mentions of Jack/Ianto -- Starts during S2's Reset. - Martha and Ianto both find themselves single and lonely. What could become of such a situation?


**Title:** Let Me Be the First to Say

**Author:** mavjade

**Genre:** AU obviously, Romance

**Characters:** Ianto/Martha (Brief mentions of Jack/Ianto)

**Summary:** "_Why can't I find guys like that? Why am I attracted to the wildly unavailable?_ And then another thought occurred to her, _He_ is _available, attractive, close to my age, funny, smart, caring_."

**Timeline:** Starts during Series Two's Reset

**Notes:** This was written for the Non Star Wars Fan Fic Valentine's Day crack!ship challenge over at theforce [dot] net.

~*~*~

"So, am I right in thinking you and he...?" Martha asked Ianto while they were working on her false identity so she could infiltrate the Pharm.

"No, not anymore," Ianto sighed. "Jack is who he is and I'm not going to take that away from him. He grew up knowing completely different cultural rules so I understand, but I know enough about myself to know I can't deal. It isn't fair to anyone to draw things out."

"He told me that, about you; dependable Ianto. Always doing what is best for everyone else." She gave Ianto a sad smile, she could see that Jack was right. While he could make it sound as though he was doing what he had to do for himself, he was really protecting Jack. While Jack did sometimes need protecting, so did the others, especially Ianto.

_He looks so young_, Martha thought. Though she knew he was only a few years younger than she, still she felt like he was too young to be doing what he did everyday. She knew though he looked young, his eyes told another story entirely. His eyes told a story of someone who had seen way too much, done way more than he should have and lived more lives than twenty men. But despite all of that he was still a kind caring man, someone who always was looking out for others, doing anything he could to make sure everyone else had what they needed, be it for Torchwood or just for life.

Martha sighed, _Why can't I find guys like that? Why am I attracted to the wildly unavailable?_ And then another thought occurred to her, _He_ is _available, attractive, close to my age, funny, smart, caring_. A large smile formed across her face.

Ianto was staring at Martha thinking something was wrong when a strange smile crossed her face, it was a little disconcerting in the situation but her smile made him smile. "What?" he asked her.

Shaking her head to try and get rid of the remaining thoughts, "Nothing, just thinking."

"About..." Ianto tried to drag it out of her.

"Nothing, just something someone once told me and I think I finally realized the truth in his words," she told him hoping he would drop the subject. _That you really do look good in a suit, especially that suit. I bet red is really is your color seeing the pink on you_. She hoped the blush she could feel rising at her thought wasn't showing, she didn't need the man questioning her anymore.

"I guess we should get this stuff set up," Ianto said as he walked up the stairs and back into the main part of the hub.

Martha was so lost in her thoughts she didn't hear him. The more she thought about Ianto, the more she liked the idea. Sure she lived in London and worked for UNIT, but that didn't mean they couldn't have some fun. They both worked very demanding, top secret jobs but not for the same group. It might be nice to be closer to someone she could talk to about some things that she would not be allowed to share with a civilian. Not that they would be allowed to discuss all things, but Torchwood and UNIT worked together enough that it could work.

Ianto was at the top of the autopsy bay when he realized Martha wasn't following him. He turned back to look at her and saw something he had never seen before. Usually when he looked at her he saw the UNIT doctor, someone who was very focused on her work, but looking now he saw the other side of Martha. She looked almost happy at her thoughts, her eyes dancing with excitement, and she was beautiful.

" Tea-boy!" came Owen's familiar cry. "I need some of your liquid happiness."

Shaking his head, Ianto smiled at Martha who had since realized he was starring at her and walked further into the main part of the hub. " I wouldn't give you any even if you begged for it, Owen."

"Coffee!" Owen yelled back.

"Oh, that." Ianto smirked, " Ask nicely, and I _may_ make you some."

Owen growled under his breath, "Please Ianto, will you make me some coffee?"

Ianto resisted the urge to praise Owen like a dog by saying 'good boy', though Ianto sometimes thought keeping a dog would be much easier. "Since Martha and I are done for now, I will. But only because Jack will turn into a gremlin if I don't get him his afternoon caffeine fix."

"I will too! " came Martha's voice as she caught up with Ianto. "In fact, I want to witness this coffee magic. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all,"Ianto smiled as he held out his arm. "Milady."

She slid her arm into his and they laughed all the way to the kitchen.

~*~*~*~

Jack walked down from his office hoping to find Ianto to make him some coffee when he heard giggling from the kitchenette. Reaching his destination he saw something that made him uncomfortable; Ianto and Martha, it seemed, were flirting. She was standing in front of the coffee machine with her hands on the complex handles, Ianto was standing behind her with his hands laying over hers.

Jealousy flashed through him as he saw two of the people he loved most in the universe giggling and laughing like children. He almost walked in to interrupt, hoping to embarrass them both until he reminded himself that being from the 51st century, he didn't do jealousy.

He would be happy they were becoming so close, and if it became more he would be happy with that. They both deserved all the happiness in the world and if they found it within each other then so be it.

Or that was what he would keep telling himself.

~*~*~*~

To Ianto, it had been the worst night since Lisa. If things could go wrong, they did. Owen was dead, in a way, Martha had almost died and they were forced to kill innocent alien life forms.

Ianto was completely exhausted and knew everyone else was as well. He forced his body take each and every step to the kitchenette --to make coffee for everyone-- almost completely on autopilot. Jack's; would you like coffee with your sugar, Tosh; cream and one sugar, Gwen; two sugars, Martha; just cream and Owen. Well, Owen wouldn't be drinking coffee anytime soon; ever.

When this thought crossed Ianto's mind he almost dropped Owen's favorite cup. Placing both hands on the counter he closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. He began pushing the emotions that were threatening to consume him deep down inside.

After standing there for sometime, he felt hands on his shoulders kneading the knots he knew were forming. The feeling was so pleasant that he couldn't help the purr that escaped his lips. It was only after a few moments did he become aware of the person who was chuckling at the sounds he was making and it was not who he thought it was; though he should have recognized that the hands weren't the same size.

He spun around, "Martha!"

"Just who were you expecting?" she raised an eyebrow questioning not only with words but with her expression.

Ianto gave her an embarrassed smile and couldn't help the blush that crept up onto his cheeks.

"I thought that was over?" she asked.

"It is, I just..." he trailed off not knowing exactly what to say.

Martha smiled, "I know." She knew exactly why he had done what he had done and she knew what a hard decision it could be. It would take some time for him to recover.

"Would you like to go get a drink?" She asked after they both stood there for a moment without speaking.

"I thought you were helping with Owen?"

"I've been sent away, and everyone else has gone home" she smiled. "Apparently he no longer needs my services. I was told in no uncertain terms that he was still able, and I quote 'I may be dead but I'm not... well I am. But I'm not.' "

Ianto laughed harder than he had in a long time, "That sounds like him."

"So..." she prodded.

" Yes, " he said turning back around to take everyone's mugs off his tray, except Jack's. "Let me just take Jack his coffee and we can go."

~*~*~

They ended up in a small Pub not to far from Ianto's flat. It wasn't exceptionally noisy like most of the pubs around, so it made it easy to talk.

They talked about many different things, staying away from the topic of work as much as they could, but since they both spent most of their lives there it was a difficult task.

Martha had been trying to avoid talking about Jack but like the man himself he was hard to ignore. Ianto asked a question about when they were traveling with the Doctor together and while he knew that time was a sensitive subject, Martha had several funny and potentially embarrassing -if someone like Jack Harkness could be embarrassed- stories. They were laughing and having a great time when Martha suddenly leaned over and kissed Ianto.

Pulling back and looking at the stunned look on the Welshman's face, Martha began to apologize, "I am so sorry, I don't know what came over me. I just..."

She was unable to finish her sentence because Ianto's lips were back on hers and they were kissing again, this time both parties were involved.

Finally, they pulled apart and smiled at each other. "Would you like to get out of here?" Ianto asked.

Martha smiled grabbed her coat from the back of her chair and started for the door, a sly smile playing on her face.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." Ianto muttered to himself as he left more than enough on the table to pay for their drinks.

_**A few months later...**_

Martha was pulling the last picture off the wall in her office when her commanding officer walked in. "Are you sure we can't convince you to stay with UNIT Doctor Jones?"

"I'm sorry sir, but Torchwood needs me, and I think I need them." Martha replied.

"It's that Harkness, isn't it?" He asked with a roll of his eyes. "It's always Harkness."

Martha laughed, "Not exactly." She wasn't surprised that he thought that, Jack did have a way of instilling that reaction in people. While she was very much looking forward to working for Jack, he wasn't the reason she decided to leave UNIT.

The General picked up a box sitting on her chair and helped her carry it out of the building. As they walked towards a black SUV he noticed a man leaning against it. He was wearing a black pin-stripe suit and waistcoat with a deep red shirt and black and red striped tie.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"That, sir, is why I'm leaving UNIT."

"I hope he's worth it." He decided to try one last time to get her to change her mind, "You could move up the ranks much farther here than you can with Torchwood."

Martha knew that was the case, but she also knew she would be happier at Torchwood, "I know, sir. But this is what I have to do."

"Only because of him?" he nodded toward Ianto.

"No," she answered honestly but decided not to expand on why. Torchwood --Jack's Torchwood-- handled things in ways she liked, she wouldn't have to compromise her values working for them and she knew with UNIT, eventually she would. Ianto was an added bonus.

They finally reached the SUV and Martha planted a quick kiss on Ianto's lips. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," he whispered back.

Martha turned back to look at the man who had been her commanding officer until she had left the building and saluted him. "Thank you for everything, sir."

"No, thank you," he returned her salute. "Good luck."

Ianto loaded the last of the boxes in the back of the SUV and slid into the drivers seat, "You ready to go, Doctor Jones?"

"Absolutely," she smiled as she climbed in the passenger side of the SUV.

Ianto turned to look at her as he was starting the vehicle, "Well, let me be the first to say," he leaned in and kissed her softly, "Welcome to Torchwood."

_~fin_


End file.
